This Sunday, the New Orleans Saints will head to M&T Bank Stadium to face the Baltimore Ravens for Week 2 of the 2026 regular season. To break it down, Nikhil Mehta of Baltimore Beatdown joins us to preview this weekend’s matchup.
NJ: Jesse Minter opened his head coaching tenure in Baltimore on a high note with a dominant 41-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. What were some noticeable and refreshing differences in how he prepared his team and adjusted during the game compared to John Harbaugh?
NM: The Ravens had no problem looking like one of the best teams in football for large parts of their games last season. But their offense consistently struggled out of the gate, and their defense struggled to hold leads late. Neither of those issues showed up in Jesse Minter’s head coaching debut. Despite getting punched in the teeth by the Colts’ pass-happy offense to start the game, the Ravens rebounded immediately with an explosive play to Zay Flowers and two quick runs from Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson to punch in the score. That trio ran their lead up to 18 points by halftime, but Indianapolis got a stop and a score coming out of the half to get back within two possessions. Typically, at this point, John Harbaugh’s Ravens would have started to wilt, surrendering explosive plays on defense and struggling to sustain drives on offense. But Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle kept their foot on their gas and their players’ heads in the game for atll 60 minutes.
NJ: Who are some notable names who will be sidelined for the Ravens on Sunday against the Saints?
NM: The Ravens could have as many as four Week 1 starters sidelined on Sunday. Wide receiver Zay Flowers has been dealing with a hamstring issue for a few weeks and did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. It would not be surprising to see Baltimore take a cautious approach with their $140 million investment. Outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson (finger), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe), and left guard John Simpson (groin) were also DNPs on both days, making it very possible the Ravens are depleted in the trenches, too. Hendrickson in particular was extremely effective in Week 1, but Baltimore’s depth at edge rusher and the potential return of Nnamdi Madubuike should limit the potential damage from his absence. The offensive line is a different story. Second-year swing tackle Carson Vinson would be in line to start for Stanley, while Andrew Vorhees – who struggled mightily as the starting left guard last year – would step in for Simpson. The former matching up against Chase Young could be a huge problem.
NJ: What are some areas that New Orleans could potentially exploit based on what you saw from Baltimore in the season opener?
NM: Jesse Minter is a serious film junkie. He is obsessed with studying opposing schemes to crack their protection codes and key in on their tendencies. But Colts head coach Shane Steichen used this against him in Week 1, starting his opening drive with seven straight passes to put the Ravens defense on the back foot. Minter and Roquan Smith admitted after the game that they were expecting Indianapolis to try to establish the run early on. Steichen happily gave them that impression and passed out of under-center and/or play-action looks that got Indianapolis deep in the red zone, where they finally turned to running back Jonathan Taylor to punch it in. Offensively, the Ravens’ passing game cooled significantly without Flowers. With rookie standout Ja’Kobi Lane also sidelined by a fractured wrist, Baltimore’s receiving corps is suddenly a little thin. Rashod Bateman posted career-lows in 2025 and was shut out in Week 1; the pressure will be on him to produce as the WR1 if Flowers is out.
NJ: Who is one Ravens player you think Saints fans should keep an eye on Sunday—someone who may not receive much national attention but could have a strong performance?
NM: Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson was excellent in Week 1, notching four quarterback hits and one sack while leading his positional group in snaps. The 2023 fourth-round pick is entering a contract year without a strong chance at a long-term stay in Baltimore given the Ravens’ investments in Trey Hendrickson, Mike Green, and Zion Young over the past 18 months. But Robinson has been one of the team’s most-praised players by coaches and teammates alike over the past few years. His powerful 6-foot-6 frame helped him set a firm edge against the run to start his career, but he might be blossoming as a pass-rusher at the perfect time for his pocketbook. Robinson’s athleticism was a highlight of his Week 1 play, showing the ability to both contain and pursue Daniel Jones in the backfield. If the Ravens get Shough on the run on Sunday, it will likely be Robinson hunting him down.
NJ: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Ravens (-420) are currently 8.5-point favorites over the Saints (+330) in Sunday’s matchup; what is your final score prediction?
NM: The Ravens’ injuries are worrying, but it was clear they were just starting to stretch out their legs in Week 1. From an outside perspective, it is hard to know what to make of the Saints right now. They seem primed for a solid fight in the second year of the Kellen Moore/Tyler Shough era. In the Harbaugh years, this would be a prime trap game for Baltimore – their home opener coming off a strong win to start the season – but Jesse Minter and his staff are less likely to take their eye off the ball. Their players should follow. I think the Ravens win this one 31-20 in a game that feels much closer than the final score suggests.
Thank you again to Nikhil Mehta for joining us to preview this week’s matchup! You can check out the rest of his work here.
